Familiar Stranger
by Shizuka-chan16
Summary: Domon's come back to Neo Hong Kong for the 14th Gundam Fight and finds someone he never thought he'd see again. 1-shot (for now)


A One-shot fic, so please R+R  
  
Years have passed and Domon has returned to watch the 14th Gundam Fight. But there is a surprise waiting for him there.  
  
The crowds of people are so dense that it takes all of Domon's strength to push through them. Everyone has gathered around the ring, whether on land or in the boats. He has promised his friends that he'd be there to see their matches since he himself was not fighting this time. But now he was late in getting to Sai Saici's match. He curses as he is nearly knocked down and trampled. It is like moving through a moving forest.  
  
After what seems like an eternity of fighting through the masses, Domon sees an open area by the water tower. He smirks and heads for it, happy to be free from the hustling. As he comes near, he sees the fight has gotten well under way. Dragon Gundam is winning easily, zooming from side-to-side to evade the blows of its opponent. He does not need to move that much, but his energy is limitless and he has not faltered yet. Domon sees that the boy has definitely grown into a young man within the last four years.  
  
Cape billowing in the slight breeze, Domon pauses next to the tower to catch his breath. Trying to get to the ring has zapped his strength. He regrets slacking off the way he has in the past few years. He is still very powerful and could pilot a gundam if he wished, but he thinks it would be better if that honor go to his young son when the time comes.  
  
His son. Domon sighs as he observes the battle, his mind drifting. Rain is at home now with the toddler. It is a little boy, who has dark brown hair that is already thick for age 2-and-a-half and bright blue eyes that are filled with life. Domon and Rain agreed that they should name him Kyoji and not just because of the remarkable resemblance.  
  
The blissful expression shifts into sadness. Oh gods does Domon miss his brother, as well as those others in his life that he has lost to the Devil Gundam. Their faces flash through his mind, making his eyes want to burn. His mom, his admirable master, his big brother, and his close friend and mentor.all four of them are gone.  
  
Suddenly, Domon realizes that he is not alone beneath that water tower. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees another man, possibly a little older than he, sitting with his legs dangling off the platform. As the former champion turns his head to get a better look, he sees that the man looks tired and forlorn while he gazes aimlessly out at the ring. Strange as he himself finds it, Domon decides to talk to him. He feels the same way right now.  
  
"Are you a former fighter too?" he asks, stepping cautiously towards him.  
  
The man doesn't look in his direction and for a moment, he seems like he hasn't heard him. But then, he answers. "Yes, I was."  
  
Domon finds his voice familiar for some reason. Though it is obviously weak, it has a soft sound to it. Sighing, he sits down beside him. Now he can see the fellow a little better still.  
  
This man wears sunglasses, strange on this day because of the clouds. 'He's blind' Domon concluded. But he can't get over how familiar he is.  
  
"Dragon Gundam has pretty much dominated this fight." The man remarked, his gentle voice ringing in the former champ's ears.  
  
Rather than act surprised over him being able to tell, Domon nods. "Hai, it could be over at any time now."  
  
The man suddenly turns his head in Domon's direction. "Pardon me for asking, but are you Japanese?"  
  
Domon quirks an eyebrow, "Uh.yes I am."  
  
"Domon." The man whispers, barely audible but still plain as day.  
  
The younger warrior gasps. "It.it can't be."  
  
This man, could it really be him? Domon squints, trying to see beneath those large sunglasses. That's when it hits him. The man's hair may be cut short, and he may be dressed in dusty old clothes, but beneath all of that, beneath the blind, worn out exterior.is his brother!  
  
Rather than tackle Kyoji in a huge bear hug, Domon reaches over and grabs his calloused hand and grips it tightly. Tears falling from his eyes, he chokes out one word. "Brother."  
  
Kyoji lets out a long, relieved sigh before he almost collapses into Domon's arms, his chin coming to rest upon his shoulder. Domon cries as he wraps his arms around his brother, someone he's never imagined he'd be able to embrace again. All of his emotion pours out of him to land on Kyoji's shoulder: guilt over having things come down to this, sadness for what has become of it all, but happiness for having the brother he's loved so dearly back beside him.  
  
He feels Kyoji shudder against him and realizes that he is crying as well. He also notices that the man's left arm dangles uselessly at his side. Not only is Kyoji blind now, but also his body has been badly injured. All the same, Domon mutters. "Brother, I'm here. And I won't let you leave me again."  
  
After another moment, Kyoji has relaxed. Domon nudges him, but finds that he has fallen asleep.  
  
The gundam fight is over. Sai Saici steps out of his gundam in victory. Domon, as he gets to his feet and picks up Kyoji, smiles in his direction before turning to begin the battle through the crowds once again. This time: his destination is the hospital.  
  
.......  
  
Rain has come to the city of Neo Hong Kong two days later, carrying her small son as she rushes into the hospital. Domon has asked for her to come right away, but he has not explained what for. But as a nurse escorts her to room 129, she is about to get the shock of her life.  
  
The sounds of beeping monitors are the first to reach her ears as she enters the room. But as she comes over to the curtain and slowly pulls it aside, she stifles a shout. Domon sits beside a long, white bed, his head against the sheets. His gloved hand is covering that of another. Rain moves past him to see who it is and once again gasps. Kyoji lies asleep on the bed, his face pale and covered by an oxygen mask.  
  
She can't believe what she is seeing, but it is true. He is thinner, much thinner as his face appears almost gaunt. His eyes look as though they haven't opened in a long time. His hair, once thick and a rich black-brown, is short and mousy from neglect. Kyoji's alive, but barely.  
  
Just then, Domon stirs in his sleep and looks up at her and their son sleepily. Rain can see that his eyes are red and puffy, probably from long moments of crying. She can't blame him for her eyes are brimming with tears now too. "Oh Domon, how did you."  
  
"It's a miracle I did." he says softly, smiling down at his sleeping brother.  
  
Kyoji Jr. eyes the slumbering fellow inquisitively. Domon holds out his arms and Rain gives him their son. Turning back towards the bed, he places the toddler in his lap and points. "Kyoji-chan, this is your uncle."  
  
"So what did the doctors say?" Rain asks.  
  
"They can't believe he is alive." Domon replies. "But he's managed to survive the past two days, so they think he will wake soon."  
  
She smiles and places a hand lovingly on her husband's shoulder. "I'm so glad, Domon."  
  
He nods. "Yeah, me too."  
  
All of a sudden, Kyoji wakes up, though it is hard to tell since his eyes remain closed. Still, Domon senses his ki flare up and hands his son over to Rain so he can stand. "Brother?"  
  
Kyoji smiles as he hears Domon's voice. "Domon." then he shifts his head around. "Who.else.is here.?"  
  
Rain takes this as her queue and takes a careful hold of his right hand. "It's me Kyoji."  
  
"Rain."  
  
"I'm so happy to see you, Kyoji!" she cried, wanting to throw her arms around him, but not being able to.  
  
"Goo." Kyoji Jr. mumbles, catching the bedridden man's attention.  
  
"Is that.a.?"  
  
Domon and Rain grin proudly. "Kyoji, you're an uncle!" Rain announces.  
  
He gasps and immediately reaches up with his hand. Rain lowers her son so Kyoji can place a hand on its head, a move done so easily that it seems he wasn't blind anymore.  
  
Kyoji allows his hand to fall back to his side and groans. "I can't even.see him.What does he look like?"  
  
"Like you, Brother." Domon answers happily. "We even named him after you."  
  
Kyoji chuckled. "Kyoji Jr., huh?" Then, he turns serious again. "So what do the doctors have planned?"  
  
"They are coming in to check you in a little while." Rain answers. "The nurse told me on the way here."  
  
"Good.I haven't been.to the doctor.in a long time."  
  
"Brother?"  
  
"Yes Domon?"  
  
Domon takes a seat on the bed beside Kyoji so Rain can take his chair. He stares down at him with serious eyes. "What happened to you?"  
  
So Kyoji tells his story. He explains how fusing with Schwarz gave him enough energy to survive the blast and then the fall. He made it to Neo Hong Kong and was surviving to the best of his abilities ever since.  
  
"I hoped that I would find a way to get up to the colonies to find you all." Kyoji continues. "But.by the time those chances came.I was too weak or too far away."  
  
By now, both Domon and Rain are crying again. Domon scoots over so he can embrace Kyoji once again, loosely though as he is afraid of causing him any more pain. Rain frees a hand from holding her son to grasp Kyoji's hand again. The exhausted man smiles once again.  
  
The doctors come in now, pushing a cart in with them. They ask Domon and his family to leave while they begin their work on Kyoji. Domon is the last to leave as he eventually pries himself off of his brother. "Brother, you'll be just fine, okay?"  
  
Kyoji laughs softly. "So the little brother tries to comfort the big brother, huh?" He relaxes. "Thanks, Domon."  
  
.......  
  
A/N- Well, that's it. This has got to be one of my sappiest fics yet, but I was feeling really soft so it just came to me. I've got two other fics in progress, but I might make a sequel of this when the Kasshu family returns to the colonies. Keep watching! 


End file.
